After a long break on the scene, Canada’s Kick Axe returned with a bang in 2004, issuing a slew of reissues and a new album (IV). Since then, the band has been relatively quiet. Bassist Victor Langen has been busy however, trying to get his new band up and running. Featuring former Into Eternity vocalist Daniel Nargang as frontman, Snake Eyes Seven has already made a bit of a name for itself around western Canada.

Before I go any further, I have to point out on of the biggest bio gaffes I have ever seen. We all know that bios are largely full of shit, meant to hype a band as big as possible, regardless of truth, but rarely has a bio gotten a band’s musical description as wrong as this one. Described as “vintage Black Sabbath infused with Rammstein”, Snake Eyes Seven’s sound is cursed from minute one. Seriously, who thought that was a good description?

Anyway, I’ll grant that there’s a definite Black Sabbath influence in Snake Eyes Seven’s music, but it’s more modern Sabbath, rather than the true doom of old. Actually, it’s closer to the two Iommi albums (the ones with Glenn Hughes singing) and there sure as hell isn’t any trace of Rammstein. Instead, there’s a heavy resemblance to Langen’s main gig, Kick Axe.

And much like Kick Axe’s IV album, SNAKE EYES SEVEN is chock full of slow, grinding hard rock tunes that, while competent enough, don’t really grab you. Sure, “Hell Or High Water” opens the album with great promise, with a heavy riff wrenched out of the dual guitars, but by the time “Love For A Moment” finishes, it’s readily apparent that the formula is not going to change. Worse, this is not the Daniel Nargang that I remember. The manic, powerful performance that grabbed so many ears on DEAD OR DREAMING is nowhere to be found here. Sure the music is different, but where is the energy? When all is said and done, Snake Eyes Seven shows some promise on this debut, but at this point it’s a promise that’s unfulfilled.

Track Listing

1) Hell Or High Water
2) Comin’ Down
3) Love For A Moment
4) Bitter Pill
5) Be Leaving
6) Bullets & Booze
7) Breakdown
8) Devil With A Rosary
9) You’re To Blame
10) Photos Of The Dead